The Las Vegas Golden Knights, currently first in the NHL’s Western Conference at 29-10-2, have won most of their battles this season.
But the thriving expansion franchise is now facing its most difficult opposition yet: the U.S. Army.
On Wednesday, the Department of the Army filed a challenge with the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board over the use of the name “Golden Knights” and the team’s color scheme. The claim was first reported by sportslogos.net.
The official aerial parachute demonstration squad, a branch of the military, is also called the Golden Knights and has been since 1969, according to the Army.
The filing maintains that Vegas “has chosen and used a similar black+gold/yellow+white color scheme on uniforms, marketing, advertisements, and its hockey arena, mimicking the opposer’s colors and further adding to the likelihood of confusion of the public.”
The Vegas Knights said they have never seen anyone complain.
“We strongly dispute the Army’s allegations that confusion is likely between the Army Golden Knights parachute team and the Vegas Golden Knights major-league hockey team,” the team said Thursday in a statement. “Indeed, the two entities have been coexisting without any issues for over a year (along with several other Golden Knights trademark owners) and we are not aware of a single complaint from anyone attending our games that they were expecting to see the parachute team and not a professional hockey game.
“That said, in light of the pending trademark opposition proceedings, we will have no further comment at this time and will address the Army’s opposition in the relevant legal forums.”
The team has until Feb. 19 to file its response to the appeal board.
Bill Foley, the owner of the Vegas Golden Knights and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, reportedly considered naming the franchise the “Black Knights,” which is Army’s nickname for athletic teams at West Point. Members of the front office have openly acknowledged the inspiration behind their branding.
“Bill Foley is a West Point guy, sort of using these colors,” general manager George McPhee said, via the Washington Post, in June. “You know the history at West Point. You know about the classmates he had lost serving this country. So, these colors mean a lot to us.”